Electro-automatic target



April 15 1924. A. MCHOUD ELECTRO AUTOMATIC TARGET Filed Jan. 12, 1924 Patented Apr. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES I ARNOLD MICHOUD, O-F YVERDON, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGN'OR TO CIBLES AUTOMATIQUES 3,490,675 PATENT QFFICE.

nucnoun soorETn nnoNY E, or NEUCHATEL, SWITZERLAND, A CORPORATION OF Ir sR -em nLEoTRo-nUTonA Io TARGET.

Application filed January 12, 1924. SerialNo. 685,739.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARNOLD, MIGHOUD, a citizen of Switzerland, residing at Yverdon, Canton of Vaud, in the Confederation of Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in or Relating to Electr0Automa-tic Targets, of which the following is a specification. I

The invention has reference to electroautomatic targets of the type using the shock of the projectileupon the target to control the closing of a circuit actuating an indicater placed within reach of the marksman.

In known targets of this type the surface of the target is subdivided into sectors, segments or independent concentric rings, surrounding a central'disc or bulls eye and each commanding one or more separate circuit closing members, the result being a complicated and costly construction; and, on the other hand, the target does not afford any precision as to the exact point where the projectile strikes inside the bulls The target formingthe subject matter of the present invention, on the contrary, consists of one single block, made in one with a shaft capable of oscillating under the action of the shock of a projectile round an axis at right angles to the radial plane pass- 'ing through the axis of the shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile, in such a way as to command the closing of an indi-v cation circuit by the agency of at least one indications of direction can be obtained in pendulum, mounted to oscillate upon the "target frame.

The accompanying drawings show by way of example two constructional forms of this target.

Figure '1 is an end View taken behind the target of the first form.

Figure 2 is a lateral elevation thereof. Figure 3 is a lateral elevation of the second form and Figure I is a diagram showing how eight the two forms by means of four pendulums, The target a in the first of these forms has no division and is formed by a metal disc of relatively small diameter, but the thiekness of which must be sufficient to enable it I to resist the shocks of the projectiles.

This disc is solidly keyed to the end of a horizontal Z3 mounted in flexible bear-'1 ings 0 and 0 carried by the casing or frame (1 of the target, To this frame there is also attached, immediately above the shaft 6, a horizontal axis 6, upon which pendulums f i are so mounted as to. oscillate. Each penduright angles to each "other through the axis h sh ft 6 (Figure .The method of operation of the target is follows: i

The shock produced by the impact of a bal ay fo exa pl a e Poin X (Figure 4) will cause the target a and the shaft 6 oes l at conioil t y u d ax a, a at right angles to the radial plane passing through the point X.

This oscillation is rende ed possible by the elasticity of the bearing 0, and its amplitude is limited by the bearing 0 which is also elastic and serves as a shock preventer.

The shockof the ball or bullet is thus tov the hall L diametrically opposed in relation to the sector III in which the point X (Figure 4) is located, which then controls the closing of a circuit (not shown) actuating in a known manner a signal correspond ing to thesector III in the indicator placed within reach of the marksman.

Figure 4 shows that when the shock of the ball takes place in the intermediate sectors, situated between the sectors I, II. III, IV it is transmitted by the shaft Z) simultaneously totwo balls, the effect of which is added or deducted in the manner known so as to control asignal distinct'from the two respective signals corresponding to these two balls.

In the second form of construction (Figure 3) the target a1 is a Swiss ordnance target A subdivided into four concentric zones. The shaft b! has a ball and socket joint I) by meansof which it can oscillate in a spherical bearing 0' and a free conical end 5, intended to, cooperate, with four groups I, I, I W rdu ms. 7 comp n four pendulums each, The sixteen balls. f of t e pend lum e ma tain d a t e same dis an efirole he ss a? he haft y stays P, in such a manner that the amplitude of the oscillations of this shaft must be smaller to actuate one or two balls 7 of the group of pendulums II than those of group I, or to actuate those of groups III than those of group IV and so on ad sequitur. In this form the different movable parts of the target are regulated and balanced between them so that a ball reaching the zone 4; of the target may produce an oscillation of the shaft 5 of such an amplitude that it only actuates the group of balls IV in permanent contact at rest with the said shaft.

If the ball strikes one of the zones 3, 2 or 1 of the target, the corresponding group III, II, or I will come into play, simultaneously with those other groups which lie closer to the shaft 6 It will thus be seen that use is made of the direction of the oscillation of a shaft made in one with the monoblock target so as to determine the direction of the blow, and the amplitude of this oscillation so as to determine the distance of the blow from the centre of the target.

In the two forms the weight of the shaft 72 must approximately balance that'of the target in relation to the bearing 0, 0 so that the inertia does not intervene in the transmission of the shocks produced by the projectile.

What I claim is:

1. In an electro-automatic target the combination with one single block of a shaft made in one with the'block and adapted to oscillate under the action of the shock of a projectile round an axis perpendicular to the radial plane passingthrough the axis of the shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile and one or more pendulums mounted to oscillate on the target frame, whereby the control of the closing of an indication circuit is controlled.

2. In an electro-automatic target the combination with one single block of a shaft made in one with the block and adapted to oscillate under the action of the shock of a projectile round an axis perpendicular'to the radial plane passing through the axis of the shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile and one or more pendulums mounted to oscillate on the target frame, whereby the control of the closing of an indication circuit is controlled and means for utilizing the direction of the oscillation of the shaft in order to determine the direction of the blow or impact and the amplitude of, this oscillation to determine the distance of the blow from the centre of the target.

3. Inan electro-automatic target the combination with one single block of a shaft made in one with the block, enrolled in an elastic hearing, which is carried by the frame of the target, and adapted to oscillate under the action of the shock of a projectile round an axis perpendicular to the radial plane passing through the axis of the shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile and one or more pendulums mounted to oscillate on the target frame,

whereby the control of the closing of an indication circuit is controlled.

4. In an electro-automatic target the combination with one single block of a shaft made in one with the block having a ball and socket joint, which co-operates with a spherical bearing carried by the frame of the target, said shaft being adapted to oscillate under the action of the shock of a projectile round an axis perpendicular to the radial plane passing through the axis of the shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile and one or more pendulums mounted to oscillate on the target frame, whereby the control of the closing of an indication circuit is controlled.

5. In an electro-automatic target the combination with one single block of a shaft made in one withthe block enrolled in an elastic bearing, which is carried by the frame of the target and adapted to oscillate under the action of the shock of a projectile round an axis perpendicular to the radial plane passing through the of the shaft and the arrival of the projectile and one or more pendulums mounted to oscillate on the target frame, whereby the control of the closing of an indication circuit is controlled, and a second elastic bearing arranged close to the free end ofthe shaft, in order to limit the amplitude ofthe oscillations of this shaft and to serve as a deadener or shock preventer.

6. In an electro-automatic target of relatively small diameter the combination with a single block of a shaft made in one with the block and adapted to oscillate under the action of the shock of aprojectile round an axis perpendicular to the radial plane passing through the axis of the shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile, said shaft being cylindrical at its free end and co-operatingwith four balls carried by pen dulums mounted to oscillate on the target frame, whereby the control of the closing of indication circuits is controlled, said balls bearing freely upon the periphery of the shaft on fourdiagonal points arranged at the ends of two diameters drawn at right angles to each other through the axis of the shaft, whereby eight directly different indications are given.

7. In an electro-autornatic target the combination with a single block of a shaft made in one with the block and adapted to oscillate under theaction of the shock of a projectile round an axis perpendicular to the radial plane passing through the axis of the point of shaft and the point of arrival of the projectile, said shaft being conical at its free end and cooperating with four groups of four balls carried by pendulums mounted 4 to oscillate on the target frame, whereby the control of the closing of indication circuits is controlled, said balls being arranged et auniform distance from the axis of the shaft, whereby thirty-two different indications are given. I

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ARNOLD MICHOUD. Witnesses:

Ron. DE WURSTEMBERGER, MAURICE FUER. 

